Fuse mechanism



Oct. 6, 1925.

J. MENCHEN FUSE MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed pril 13, 1918INVENYTOR A TTORNE Y Oct. 6, 1925. 4 1,556,561

, J. MENCHEN FUSE MECHANISM Original Filed April 13. 1918 s Sheets-Sheet2 A TTORNL V INVENTQR Oct. 6, 1925.

J. MENCHEN FUSE MECHANISM Original Filed April 13, 191-3 3 Sheets-Sheet5 IN VENTORV WM A TTORNE Y 'toffirin fniems,thereforfand n oleflpartic r10f Iarly'wvt o "the fusev mechanism ,forfeontrolling v j the g'sainefaind' tQ' Varioiis featuies land as pegt's 6f such matters whichwillibecomefa pa p'ar ehtQfAmmigI f/M; 0bje etsr are] to' insure eneountering either 'siibsiguiiially unyild? I "t ii'fely yielding ibe'dji's'i ch as giiofbher'gg g; ,fplaine ra Zeppel' a'netl Thej prefelled,

1 embodimenflpfft; nvehtip iwili 'uiwibe described; but itwillb'efunderstood that V3 Qfjtratjthe "shifted pojsi om-bf it'h re esine'f j j Fig. 21s a large-sect al p 'view i th reafend b'fthe torpedoand bf; the} coopei'a' ti'veparts; carried theftbrpedog 'the I of thetorpedb itself fiotigbeir 'g shown; is a reats'ejti'o'lial face View bfrthe' fuse-hqlder diskj I g. "'s alhb izonial' se left lhandfportig Jof1 YQITIJOSVEPHL'MENQHEM;70E sinvfMIL 1rims/ JE SEY; jgi ssfiiiiiin tro-1 A. .,A:LAR 1 E E L CK@ QRB MIQM F wILmINGT iT, DELA E, IAVCOBPOBIATION F E ARE b; the-Sw ms p'pii .Mifibmfth s fgy duringhandling arid "While 611 {the v is"hii1ge 1{01 pivotecitoits h gerB',"se r th aiid'to iiisu geexplb 'sion In fi ent of' thebon b,

1,ingYobsitiiclg silch8112? bu ding, or a1,- li

'lejve rfl A fmpnij' stem fieus equivaleiit cd istgucpiops may i H ,7vised. The" subjecbmetgterfof the present "crosses thebDttomvQfthe"recess between; I

rial. No; 228,3 43, fi1edfA;p iI s, 1918;;

" The P V P I 1. ii f'g d fd in ii i i tli Fig:9.,isl ajde f ofthefuse.e i The .ij0rped 0 jre-pag-ried lioi'izo any; The''frzyrpewofl foiysupporting Qne"="6f-thef in terped oesl is 's eeiifl"moiepgirtieularlyfiii Fig. 1. Frorii a-LmeI nbeLZ forming part Qf {Chframework 0f the machine 'depeiicl a ffiXec hanger-bong braced bydiagonal piece sj Thisihanger "Supports the; feeriend' o-fQflieterpedoi'ii l f'Tfhe rear end of exch torpedo 'siving'sdewiii' The sziidfo'iwafd endj issup portedfiixdheid by laterzillj sipace cl member' s' y6'P '0j h vdw wa di o 9 P r end." 1

by 13 w hdrawab ef 19 1- 7; .il," 1 efOTm f v gbnthen terpede isreceived between theiinemiiers. 6" and 'bejai s downwardupon the,exferfi which is piv'-- oied fat 9;.benezith biiefqf the neinbers md" l6 in t e fi str ctu e; and: fihQ-Q'P'PO' site "end of the 311116iSiPIOVidQdlWith-QMI e.

fO K 'fli'e' difference in movement Of the pai' ts the rest for saidend, permitting it to hinge downward on the hanger 3.

Upon the lower end of the hanger iron 3 is hinged a hollow member 21,which receives a rear stem 22 on the torpedo and constitutes a means forcarrying and actuating a tripping or firing member 23. The pivoted endof this tubular member or holder is seen slotted at 24 to accommodatethe hanger iron, and the two are connected by a trans verse pivot pin25. The torpedo stem 22 is connected to the holder, after. being enteredtherein, by a shear pin 26, which is passed through registering holes inthe parts. This connection is destroyed, and thetorpedo consequentlyfreed, by the power developed by the downward swinging of the torpedo,when its front end is released; and to this end the front edge of theextension of the hanger 3 below the hinge aXis is formed as a cam oreccentric 27, the form' and relation of which to the stem 22 are suchthat at a predetermined point in the downward swing, at or near thevertical position of the bomb, the .rear end of the stem riding forciblyupon the fixed cam thrusts the. stem downward and outward in the holder,there by shearing off the pin 26 and permitting the torpedo to drop.

The constructions and arrangements for firing at the rear end of thetorpedo involve important features of .novelty. There is a detonator 31capable of setting off the body of explosive in the interior. Thisdetonator may beignited by means of a time fuse 32, disposed circularly,that is to say in an arc, in a disk 33 forming partof a fuse-containersecured 011 the rear end of thetorpedo at the base of the stem 22. Thiscontainer has an arcuate groove 34 in its front face, which communicateswith-the rear face by a series of definitely located flash ports 35. Atthe regions of these ports the covering of the fuse may be removed andquick match conrposition 32 applied to. insure the action of the fuse.)neend of the groove 34 is connected by a radial groove 36 with acentral opening 37, through which the fuse is ledto the detonator 31;The fuse container is completed by another disk 33 also provided with acentral opening, and which is screwed into a flange 71 on'the front faceof the disk 33, a plate 72 of vitreous material being preferablyinterposed between the two disks, closing .the face of the groove 34. .Aflange 73 on the rear end of a copper tube 74 containing the detonatoris alsoclamped betweenthe disks 33 and 33 of the fuse con tainer, thedetonator projecting forward through the central opening in the disk 33so as to enter the'interior of the bomb. The stem 22is united or.secured in rearward projecting relation to the disk 33, and the disk 33has av central forwardly dispo'sed threaded. boss 75, whereby the entireunit may be secured to the suitably recessed rear end of the torpedo.

On the lower or forward end of the hinged holder 21 is a timing head 38,which is also in the form of a disk of approximately the same diameteras the fuse container 33. hen the torpedo is in the frame, these twoparts are held face to face; and one of them is mounted rotatably.Preferably the head 38 is secured. to the holder in such manner that itmay be turned thereon with-- out movement lengthwise. Tongue and gL'OO Gformations 33", 38 on the disks and 38 serve to prevent entrance ofwater between them. The head 38 is cutaway or recessed at one side, asat 39; and in this recess is a firing block 40 containing a cap seat 41and a flash passage 42 to register with any one of the ports 35. Theflash passage 42 terminates in a projecting nipple 43 on the forward orinner face of the rotatable head, adapted to enter said ports and'tohold the parts in fixed relation whenonce adjusted. To permit of theadjustment the firing block bearing the nipple or registering projectionis mounted on the timing head disk in such manner that it may yield awayfrom the fuse container, while being normally pressed thereto. This isaccomplished by connecting the end of the block 40 adjacent the centerto the head 38 by means of a transverse pivot pin 44. An ex pansionspring 45 :confined between the block and a bracket 46 on the head urgesthe block against the fuse container 33, or to a position in which thenipple will enter a port. The ports not in registry with the nipple atany time are covered by the timing head disk 38. A handle 47projectingfrom the block 40 facilitates theturning ofthe head about theaxis of the holder 21 and stem. 22, and the movement of the block awayfrom the fuse container to disengage the nipple. The-nipple-43 ispreferably lo cated eccentrically with respect to the chamber of theflash passage, and the front or lower wall of this chamber is formedwith a cavity 42 having a vent opening 42", the cavity being in linewith the cap 48, sothat when the latter is fired its wadding will becaught in the. cavity and will be prevented from obstructing the nipple.

Thecap 48, which is placed in the seat 41 in the firing block, is firedby a hammer 49, the head of which is secured to the end of a flat spring50,..which in turn is secured to the bracket 46. The spring 50 isnormally not under firing tension, so that there is no danger'ofitsbeing accidentally released and flying against the cap, and in additionthe cap is protected by a safety pin 51, which is inserted through holesin the block 40 over the cap in position to prevent the hammer touchingthe cap as long as the pin is in place. This pin may be in the form of aotte pi -w th d ersendsco n e y icessible'ring handle; 51?,a ndiis heldfr'ictiom ally in place and'may be readily ithdrawn: by ;th e" pilotbefore pulling the laun hing a by he ppinememb r 23, er dfQmf"*ferredg'to asbeing mounted on, and operated by th h lde nhi mber?'lV-QT said member; 23; is desirably constructed as a collar slidinglyencircling the holderfand having-a; 52 which contacts 1,;With the tip 530 theh me edii l a t s -r a 7; Wardhen, the. 6011M itself is drawn rear?7 war 3 orf upvvard;, on *theiholder Conti'iiir- 'a1{1ce,ofj themovement carries the rim 52 "fromlbeneath theextreinityof the hammer; Yr and the latterhis thenh driven byits spring against {the cap v L8,,The movement of the;

the'holderris brought aboutas the resuIt of :the dgw yter l iswi g lrlgs50 ,th der and h o necti n f he ripp 'nsqm m t a fixed, point abovethe hinge axis- ,25 the said connectionj beinggajpull link or pair ofa-jfitrpiv d t- 9 he in meme m sa-i firin r [plunger 5'11 mounted toslide s which causes the plungerito continue downf vvardg againsttheresistance of a relatively weak spring 58,i*after thetorpedo and itsstem have been stopped in a more or less 7 cushiOnednmnner by encounterwith a 'dirigiblei an observation balloon, another plane {'or'protectivenets-suchas are placed over :sorne buildings.

"also operate in event of the bomb striking screw 59, which passesthrough the Wall of, th em 22;.intothe plunger. The rear POIr:

3 and which it accommodates in a slot 61 and 5 beyond the rear end ofthe stem 22, in posi- 7 tion to-be acted uponby the cam 27 inad- ,vancevof the action thereof upon/the stem, so thatth'e screw 59. is shearedand theinols-freed from the hinge support. "'The said plunger acts'upona cap 62 in or adj acent the I 5 through the 'lhe ghannner p p i H7 I Iii-operation, each torpedo jiscarried horn l'jin. p e Qi I ihjhe trped e P9 7 sets the :t'1 glngihead 38,;draws a e d pull' the ev l? T"1et pe-r t on moves thesIide or, longitudinally leverfi from beneaththefforvifardpstem; t p de he, dri e m he l tely v trippingrnemberupward and, rearward on' r described The hammer c 49 is pulled backw Istriking throughgthe assag the 01 611401 d, ;a n other-; firing nie mber. port; Also", before, -the V Yidd hgYz ddy-z Th seeded 1 inthefreafrstem "22 ana opera esi ycinertia;f t na or 3 3' ati1t1iatitiin it'h'pact "firing devices in condition-"to operate. Y

carries the fusefcontainer *vvith iit, but5tlie:f, v

c The device will, of coursed} l In--order to set I H the earthfi/or anunyielding obstacle. Norf at any height theOperatorsm r ly. il e mallytheplunger 57 is barred against for- I ward (movement byv a safety shearpinor' L, tion or tail 60'of the plunger is extended I v pastthe shearpin '26, heretofore describedf I (of the flash ports35. Incase theaviator ertia plunger. 57 released before the torpedo i haseofthe stem22, whichccap is arranged ito'ifire the detonator 31,' tovvhich the timefuse 32 also; leads; As 'shovvn thiscap is opening 37 i of the disjkBS}which; iisthreaded forfthe purposefinto the inte-' nor of t e e wh h isformed a a we A .v azs i pe ngi n w i h threaded-tor Ia sho istance inreariof the di'sln Airrelease'holes 62? are formed inst-h n we esa e haze ha 1 ,strik will {not be Ward -rnovelnent off th opposed by aniair.cushion. T

zontal" as statedii Thesheafmembers and, 4 I 59andthegwithdravvableisafety"pin.51 are 7 n e' t 1. .7 e i t n ee'ziiz snhtending connection; 14:, and shifts the re swings dovvn 'upon its grearhinge isupport,- andQ-this movement s am thelink-heldf trippingrnemberl23l inthe manner already i i I he'f i I "beforethe pin "26 s'shear'ed aild'itv 1 torpedo is .Still; connected togthe "S i stle m wes: estroy;

broken, ithee shear .2

avvay, vv1th its time fuse burning andiits 11 'n'-' f ee" to act uponWhen the torpedo'falls 'fromfthe f 'lvw v fixture, of vvhichit forms'aipart, I p

the time fuse to jexplode timing head is'left behindl upon 'th'e eb1ock40. away from theajfuse containerl3311 Yand't urnsthe-timing-headBG by means of the handle 4:(untilapointer,,(ifi'cooperating' V with index marks "64. lindicatesthe desired5 .j elevation. Then the handle is released and I V the firing blocksnaps into registry with; one,

intends the torpedo to explode 0nly upon; contact, he can turn the head38 so that the flash port 42 is opposite a blanklportion of Y thefuse-holder disk" 33"," in which event the 1 9 fuse Will not be ignited;'7 f c Iclaimi 7 '11In3an aerial torpedo, the combination of adetonatorin the rear portion ofthe torpedo, a central stemprojecting?rearvvard, from" the torpedo, inertia. firing 'meansin; saidstein; substantially in line with I thefdeti: onator, a, time fuse -disk,at; the base fofsaid stem having its face provided Witha cir- V lyp ede ies ct flash ports, ands:

rotatable timing head Covering the-ported face of said disk and'havingmeans for ignitin the fuse at one or other'of said ports.

2. i1 an aerial torpedo, the combination of a detonator in the rearportion of the torpedo, a central stem projecting rearward from thetorpedo, inertia firing means in said stein substantially in line withthe detonator, a time fuse disk at the base of said stem having its faceprovided with a circularly disposed series of flash ports, a cover disl,a firing block mounted yieldingly in the cover disk, and a spring hammercooperative with the firing block, the time fuse disk and cover diskbeing relatively rotatable, and means for registering-the firing blockwith any of the flash ports.

3. A fuse container'for aerial torpedoes comp'risingtwo disks securedtogether, the front disk having means of securement to the rear end of atorpedo and the rear disk having an arcuate series of flash portsleading from its rear face to a curved fuse chan nel within, and acletonator tube projecting centrally forward from the fuse container andhaving its rearend held between the disks.

4. A disk-like fuse container having means of secureinent to the rearend of an aerial torpedo and formed with a central opening, an internalarcuate fuse channel having a series of flash ports opening through therear face and an extension leading to the central opening,;and aforwardly projecting detonator tube held in said open mg. r

ing a central opening, a detonator disposed forwardly in line with saidopening, a circularly disposed time fuse in the container leading tosaid cent 'al opening, a hollow stem projecting rearward from thecontainer, a cap seat, and an inertia firing device in said stem.

'7. In an aerial torpedo, a disk-like fuse container on the rear endofthe torpedo having a central opening, a detonator disposed forwardlyin line with said opening, a circularly disposed time fuse in thecontainer leading to said central opening, a hollow stem projectingrearward from the container, a cap seat,'and an inertia firing device insaid stein, said fuse container havi'ngfa curved series of flash portsin its rear face, in combination with a timing head 1-0-- tatable aboutthe axis of the stem and having means for igniting said fuse through any of the flashport s.

JOSEPH MENGHEN.

